F O R M I C I D JE. 517 



edge; the females are destitute of a sting-. This he account recorded in the Bible of the tasking of the 



Israelites in Egypt to make bricks, and the refusal of 

 heir taskmasters to supply straw, that article being 

 mployed, when cut in pieces, for binding together 



genus comprises about a dozen British species, the 

 largest of which is the hill, or horse-ant, Formica 

 rufa (Linnaeus), confounded by some with the For- 

 mica herculanea of the same author. The neuters 



in this species are about one-third of an inch long, of 

 a black colour, with the thorax, abdominal scale, and 

 a large part of the head, red. Unlike the herculanea, 

 which builds in the trunks of trees, the F. rufa makes 

 its larnv conical nest in the open ground, in woods, 

 amassing together large quantities of sticks, straws, 

 earth, &c. The number of individuals of which one 

 of these nests is composed is very great. On dis- 

 turbing the nest, they sally forth in vast quantities, 

 assuming a most threatening aspect, and biting power- 

 fully with their jaws, retaining hold of whatever they 

 may seize upon with the greatest pertinacity. This 

 species, moreover, collects grains of wheat, barley, 

 and other small seeds, which it indiscriminately adds 

 to the stores of vegetable matters of which its nest is 

 formed, which circumstance doubtless gave rise to the 

 praise bestowed upon these insects for foresight in 

 laying up food ; but if this portion of their economy 

 has not for its object the storing of a due provision 

 during the winter months, as has been ordinarily sup- 

 posed, on account of ants lying torpid during the 

 winter, and consequently not feeding upon such sup- 

 plies, it is not the less interesting when regarded in 

 its proper light. The nest, which at first sight ap- 

 pears only like a confused mass of sticks, and straws, 

 laid without order, is nevertheless ingeniously con- 

 trived to throw off the rain, to defend it from injuries 

 of the elements, attacks of enemies, or the heat of the 

 sun. It has generally the appearance of a rounded 

 dome, the woody parts of the building being: the 

 most elevated; the interior of the nest, however, is 

 much larger, and extends to a considerable depth 

 under ground. Here innumerable avenues are con- 

 structed, and a multitude of narrower passages, placed 

 nearly in symmetrical order circularly, and extend- 



the base 

 necessary for the 



of the 

 free 



dome, and which 

 and egress to 



the 



workers, which, unlike those of the other species, 

 appear to prefer the broad light of the day, not 

 fearing to execute their labours in our sight. But 

 there is a portion of the economy of this species 

 which is perhaps the most interesting, because not 

 observed in the other species, in the nests of which 

 there is but a single entrance, and which is so placed 

 as to prevent the ingress cither of rain or of enemies. 

 In the Formica rufa this is not the case ; the nest has 

 an infinity of entrances, through which, during the 

 night, whilst the insects arc all quiet within the nest 

 the rain might enter in torrents, or they might be 

 surprised by their enemies. Now, this is guarded 

 against in a singular manner. Towards sunset the 

 nest -appears in a perfect bustle, but, if attentively 

 examined, it will be seen that all this confusion, 

 in which the shifting of the outer materials of the 

 nest is apparently a source of disorder, has for its 

 object the barricading of the passages, and which is 

 at. length completely effected, the insects shutting 

 themselves within for the night. The mere outward 

 appearance of the nest does not convey any idea of 

 the manner in which the entrance of water is excluded 

 by day. This, however, is so completely effected, that, 

 even after long 1 rains, the interior of the nest is not even 

 found to be damp lower than a quarter of an inch 

 from the outer covering. Our readers will remember 



the mud of which the bricks were composed. The 

 ants pursue the same mode in the building of their 

 nest ; the particles of earth laying between the layers 

 of straw and bits of wood being moistened by the 

 early rains, subsequently harden by the heat of the 

 sun, forming a compact roof, which is again and again 

 covered over, until the nest acquires its full size. 



Another British species, Formica sanguinca (La- 

 treille), is of a blood red colour, with the eyes and 

 abdomen black, with the wings dusky at the base ; 

 the neuter is similarly coloured, except that the head 

 is of a darker colour ; and the male is black, with red 

 legs. This species burrows in wood, and is one of 

 those species which steals the young of other species, 

 rearing them to perform the duties of the nest. See 



also POLYERGUS. 



Two of the species subject to these marauders are 

 the Formica cunicularia (Latreille), ttodfiuca (Lin- 

 naeus), both of which are inhabitants of this country. 

 The latter species is of a shining black colour, with 

 a slight ashy tinge ; its form is rather long, and it is 

 nearly smooth ; the three or four basal joints of the 

 antennae are of a red colour, as are also the legs ; the 

 abdominal scale is large and triangular, and the 

 ocelli are distinct. This species establishes its nest 

 under stones, moss, &c., and at the foot of trees, the 

 nest being almost entirely under ground. In the 

 nest is often to be found the larva of a Lamel/icorn 

 beetle, probably that of a Cetonia, or Mclolont/ia. 



Amongst the exotic species of this genus are to be 

 found many which are extremely injurious or annoy- 

 ing in their habits. Of these the sugar ant of the West 

 Indies, Formica saccJiarivora (Linnrens), is perhaps 

 the most extensively prejudicial. This species esta- 

 blishes its nest at the root of the sugar-canes, lime, 

 lemon and orange-trees, where it excavates around 

 the roots, thereby loosening the earth, so that the 

 trees are either blown down by the violent gales in 

 those parts of the world, or are so completely deprived 

 of their supply of nourishment, that they soon die. 

 Some years ago, the injuries committed by this insect 

 vere so great, that a reward of 20.000/. was offered 

 by the planters to any one who should discover an 

 effectual mode of destroying them, yet nothing could 

 be found to stay their ravages. The aid of fire was 

 even resorted to in vain, the insects rushing into the 

 blaze in such myriads of millions, as to extinguish it. 

 Vain was every attempt of man to effect their de- 

 struction, till, in 1780, it pleased Providence to 

 annihilate them by torrents of' rain. 



The proceedings of another exotic species, Formica 

 indcfessa, of which an account has just been published 

 by Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Sykes, in the Transac- 

 tions of the Entomological Society, exhibit one of 

 the most extraordinary instances we have ever yet 

 met with of the operations of that principle, or in- 

 stinct, as it is called, " which enables an animal to do 

 that which, in those things which man can do, results 

 from a chain of reasoning, and in things which men 

 cannot do, is not to be explained by any efforts of 

 the intellectual faculties." The species in question 

 was observed near Poonah, in the East Indies ; and 

 Colonel Sykes, after mentioning their fondness tor 

 saccharine matters, such as sugar-candy, preserved 

 fruits, &c., relates the various modes by which they 



